This invention pertains to crawler type vehicles and more particularly to an improved cyclic track assembly and track shoe for same suitable for demolition and compaction of fill materials such as earth, debris, solid wastes, trash, etc.
Previously, wheeled vehicles having special compacting feet have been used in compacting sanitary land fills, dumps, construction sites, etc. Also, track type tractors using tracks designed solely for tractive purposes have been used for this purpose. Such vehicles have had certain limitations. For example, they have had difficulty in effectively demolishing large rocks, pieces of concrete, etc., as encountered at construction sites. Also, when compacting "wet" materials using the usual track type tractor, it has been observed that the materials become impacted behind the track shoes so as to tighten the tracks unduly.
Further, in compacting fill materials such as trash and earth at a sanitary land fill site, it has been found to be more efficient if the trash is demolished prior to or during compaction of the fill materials so that smaller debris can be compressed into the earth.
In addition, where corn stubble has been left in a field after harvesting, wheel-style compactors have a limited ability to break up the stubble prior to discing the stubble into the ground. Since burning of stubble has been prohibited in many areas, it must now be disced into the ground.
A crawler vehicle equipped with track shoes or pads as disclosed herein readily serves to break up the stubble even more thoroughly than when using only the disc.
Thus, there has been a need for an improved compactor for use on sanitary land fills, transfer stations for garbage, and for construction and demolition sites.